The scramble to fill Mitch McConnell’s Senate seat in Kentucky began as soon as the long-serving Republican lawmaker revealed he won't seek reelection in 2026. Former state Attorney General Daniel Cameron jumped into the campaign Thursday,

Shortly after Senator Mitch McConnell said he would not run for an eighth term, Daniel Cameron, a former Kentucky attorney general, said he would run for the seat in 2026. Two lawmakers and a businessman also hinted at running.

Longtime Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell announced Thursday he won’t seek reelection in 2026, ending his run as one of the most powerful lawmakers in the U.S. McConnell, a Republican first elected in 1984, is the longest-serving Senate party leader in U.S. history. He plans to serve out the remainder of his term until it ends in 2027.